Basket.



N0..668,732.' Patented Feb. 26, |90I.

H. B. FULLER.

BASKET'.

[Application led Oct. 19, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Ursrrn: Strange PATENT Erica.

RUSSELL B; FULLER, OF HOLLAND, MICHIGAN.

BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,732, dated February 26, 1901.

Application filed October 19, 1900. Serial No. 33,557. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUSSELL B. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holland, in the county ot' Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and usefullmprovementin Baskets, (Oase No. 2,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates tothe class of baskets which are usually formed of veneers and used for coal, grain, vegetables, or the like. My invention relates more particularly to the handles thereof and the manner of attaching the same to the body of the basket. The handles of this class of baskets have heretofore generally been made of wood secured by staples to the rim or upper hoop, the lower ends usually being thrust under the middle hoop. These handles have required four sraples each-that is to say, two for holding the handle to the rim and two between the rim and the hoop below. Such handles have been quite liable to break and come loose, thus very materially reducing the life of the basket, since repairs of such wooden handles require more skill and time thanthe value of the basket would warrant. Moreover, in the case of baskets having wide interior bands, as has been found desirable when the baskets have been designed for receptacles for heavy substances, it is very desirable to have the handles secured in such way that the strain will come upon this band. Such construction is not permitted in the use of wooden handles such as have been heretofore used, the staples simply serving to hold the handle again st the basket, the strain coming on the shoulders formed on the inner edges of the handles and coming under the upper hoop or band. My invention contemplates the use of wire handles in place of the wooden handles heretofore employed, such wire handles being secured by two staples each thrust through the rim, while the lower ends or points of the handles pass through the side of the body and preferably embrace the outer middle hoop, and, coming under the lower edge of the interior band and being clenched inside of the basket upon this inner band, the strain when the basket is lifted is'thrown upon this inner band, as is desired.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a basket provided with handles embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail View in section, showing the manner of securing the handles to the basket.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference in both gures.

The form of basket in connection with which I have chosen to illustrate my invention i-s a bushel basket, the body portion a whereof is of the usual construction, as shown in Fig. l. The handles of the basket are each made of an iuverted-U-shaped wire b, the vertical arms bl b whereof are secured upon the outside of the rim by staples c c, embracing the wire arms and passing through the rim of the basket from the outside, being clenched upon the interior, as shown. The lower ends of the wire are pointed and are driven through the basket below the outer middle hoop d, passing underneath the lower edge of the Wide inner band e and clenched, as shown, the sharp points of the wire being driven a little way into the wood. The horizontal portion of the wire, which is designed to be grasped to lift the basket, is covered with the usual wooden roller. The upper portion of the wire handle, which projects above the edge of the basket, is preferably bent outward a little, as shown, so that the baskets may be more readily stacked together in nests.

It will be appreciated that the Wire handle of my invention is not only convenient, but is extremely strong and is fastened to the basket in such a manner that it cannot be pulled off or loosened. `Since the lower ends ofthe wire embrace the middle hoop d and pass under the lower edge of the broad interior band e, the strain which comes upon the handle in lifting the basket is evenly7 distributed and is borne by the horizontal hoop and the inner band, which pass' transversely to the thin splints which form the body portion of the basket. It is obvious, therefore, that mere strain upon the handle cannot split the basket.

It is a further advantage of my invention that the baskets and their handles may be packed and shipped separately, since the IOO manner of attaching the handles is so simple that an unskilled person may readily attach them to a basket in a few moments.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

1. The combination with a splint basket having an outer hoop at a distance below the rim, and an inner band, the lower edges of said hoop and band being substantially in the same plane, of a U-shaped Wire handle for the basket, the ends of the Wire beinf;r sharpened and driven through the material of the basket below the hoop and band, and clenched to the interior band, and staples securing the upright portions of the'handle to the rim of the basket, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

the interior band, and staples for each han-4 dle securing the arms thereof to the rim of the basket, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have signed my name this 15th day of October, A. D. 1900.

RUSSELL B. FULLER. \Vir.nesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, W. W. LEAoH. 

